1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic transmission for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle that can improve power delivery performance and reduce fuel consumption.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, multiple-shift mechanism of an automatic transmission is achieved by combining a plurality of planetary gear sets. A planetary gear train converts torque transmitted from a torque converter into multiple speeds and transmits the multiple speeds to an output shaft.
It is well known that when a planetary gear train realizes a greater number of shift speeds, speed ratios of the planetary gear train can be more optimally designed, and therefore a vehicle can have economical fuel mileage and better performance. For that reason, the planetary gear train that is able to realize more shift speeds is under continuous investigation.
Though achieving the same number of speeds, the planetary gear train has a different operating mechanism according to a connection between rotation elements (i.e., sun gear, planet carrier, and ring gear). In addition, the planetary gear train has different features such a durability, power delivery efficiency, and size depend on the layout thereof. Therefore, designs for a combining structure of a gear train are also under continuous investigation.
Currently, four-speed and five-speed automatic transmissions are most often found on the market. However, six-speed or seven-speed automatic transmissions have also been realized for enhancement of performance of power transmission and for enhanced fuel mileage of a vehicle. In addition, automatic transmissions that can achieve more than eight speeds have been developed at a good pace.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.